Banding machine



March 1, 1938. 'A, E T N 2,109,527.

BANDING MACHINE 1 Q Filed June 27, 19,34

w 54 Q 6 I M 5 M INVENTOR Patented Mar. 1, l fi uuirsesrares amass":

amino MACHINE Joseph ll. Fenian, Washington, D. 0., assignor, hy mesne assignments, to R. Hoe & 00., Inc., New York, N. Y... a corporation of New York Application dune 27, 1934, Serial No. i32,654

2% Claims.

This invention relates to wrapping machines and more particularly to a machine for auto-.

An adhesive is then applied to the lower end of each strip. Upon the engagement of a moving pack with a banding strip, the said strip is caused to be wrapped partially around the product so go' as to engage the upper, the lower and the forward end surfaces thereof and has its adhesive end trailing beyond the rear thereof. A gripper, also positioned. in the path of the moving prodnot, is arranged in such novel manner that upon receiving a product, the said gripper raises the productand turns itsupper face downward over the trailing portion of the band while dragging the outer end of the product over the surface of a feed table. The product is then ejected from the gripper and is moved forward again by means of a. second conveyor. During the latter movement the adhesive end of the strip will adhere 'to the outer surface oi the opposite end portion of the band, and after passing beneath a pressure member, will become sealed. The wrapping of said product now being completed, the same is finally moved to an elevator platform which is adapted to move dovmward a distance equal to the thickness of a product after receiving each product, and upon receiving a certain predetermined number of products, the same are moved in a group to a delivery conveyor or other means by an ejector mechanism.

One objector the invention is to feed a strip of bending material into the path of a moving product, whereby said product will engage the strip and, while moving. will be partially wrapped by same.

Another object is to provide mechanism to a partially wrapped product, is adapted to be manipulated to complete the wrapping of said product.

A further object is to provide a pressure applying means to finally seal an adhesive portion sion into the path of an approaching product. 7

operate a gripper member,'which after receivingof the banding material against another portion thereof after the wrapping of the product is completed.

A still further object is to provide an elevator receiving platform for receiving a plurality of completely wrapped products in a superposed order and means to eject same after a predetermined number are received.

It is alsoan object of the invention to provide a banding machine of generally improved construction, whereby the device will be simple, durable and inexpensive in construction, as well as convenient, practical, serviceable and efficient in its use. g

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the'invention resides in the combination and ar rangement of parts, and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that various changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit {of the invention.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is upper, lower and forward ends and also showing said product engaged by the gripper, and further showing in broken lines the gripper in an interl mediate position while turning said product over upon a trailing end of the band;

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the pack turned over and being ejected from the gripper; and

. Figure 6 is a perspective view showing a completed product with a band thereon.

Referring to Figure 1, one wall of a. frame it is shown, the opposite wall being removed to clearly show the various operating parts of the machine which in most cases are mounted between the said walls and are supported thereby. A supply roll of banding material I! is supported in a. rack I3 between the upper portion of the machine walls and is adapted to be fed down ward in a substantially vertical direction between driven feed rollers l4-l4 and feed belts l5-I5, the latter being guided over driven rollers l5-|6 and idler rollers |1|1. Below said feed belts l5-I5 is a pair of feed belts l8, placed side idler roller 2|, said idler roller being supported by means of suitable arms 20 to allow same to pivot about the axis of the feed roller l9. Another idler roller 22 normally engages the feed belts l8 near the upper end thereof. Guide members to lead the banding material from the rolls l4l4 to rolls |6-l6 after cutting and from the belts l5-l5 to the belt l8 have been omitted for the sake of clearness.

Means is provided to cut the banding material into strips of equal length while it is being moved through the above related feeding members and comprises a stationary knife 23 supported by means of brackets 24 on the machine frame and a rotary knife 25, mounted on a'rotatable shaft the end thereof, which comprises a glue reservoir 21, supported between the walls of the frame II and having a glue roller 28 rotatably mounted within same. A transfer roller 29 is mounted upon suitable brackets 3| between the-belts l8 and is maintained in continual engagement with the glue roller so as to provide a film of glue on the periphery thereof. A driven roller 32 having a cam surface thereon is mounted on a shaft 33 between the walls of the frame II and is adapted to movethe end of the banding strip S against the periphery of the'transfer roller to thereby cause a film of glue to be deposited thereon. By means of a spring 34, which is attached to the arm 20, the strip S is drawn away from the transfer roller after the cam surface of the roller 32 moves past the strip surface.

A product 35 which as shown comprises a pack of cards, is moved to the surface of a feed table 36 either manually or by some mechanical means, not shown, and is moved along said table by means of lugs 31 spaced apart on a conveyor 38, which conveyor may be of any suitable type,

such as chains, for example, which are guided over sprockets indicated at 39-39 and one idler sprocket indicated at 4|. The sprockets and idler being mounted in any convenient manner. The drive for the product is so arranged as to move the said product into'the strip of banding material S which is positioned directly in the path of same, in a manner shown in Figures 1 and 3, and thus cause the strip S to be drawn away from the upper feed belts i5 and lower feed belt l9. Upon passing under a guide plate 42, secured to said feed table, the strip is brought into engagement with the upper, lower and forward end surfaces of the product, and a portion ,of the lower adhesive end of the strip is left trailing beyond the rearlend of the product. Also after passing under said guide plate 42, the said ed to provide a tensioned grip upon the upper and lower surfaces of the product directly over the band portion thereof and are secured to a supporting block 44. The block 44 is fixed to a shaft 45, which shaft is slidably and rotatably mounted in vertically slotted portions 46 of the frame walls and has a gear 41 at one end thereof.

A rock shaft 43 is mounted between the walls of the frame II and has arocker arm 49 positioned at each end thereof, which arms have slotted ends 5i engaging the gripper shaft 45. One of said arms shown clearly in Figure 1, which may be regarded as the operating arm, has a cam roller 52 mounted thereon, which engages the surface of an operating cam 53. Above said rocker arm 49, a reciprocable rock arm 54 is mounted on a shaft 55 positioned between the walls of the frame H, and has a gear rack- 56 at one end which engages the gear 41 on the shaft 45 and has its opposite end forked as at 51,- to slide over the shaft 55. Also mounted on said shaft 55 is a cam 58, which is adapted to reciprocate the rack arm by means of the engagement of a cam roller 59 on said arm with the cam 58. By means of a spring 61, biased between a collar 92, loosely mounted on the shaft 55 and a portion of the rack arm 54, the roller 59 is maintained in engagement with the cam 58.

Before the gripper operating mechanism functions, the same assumes the position shown in Figure 1 with the gripper normally positioned in the path of. an approaching product. After regear 41 and thereby cause the gripper to swing about the axis of the shaft 45 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 2. After the gripper swings the outer end of the product and wipes same past the feed table top, the rocker arm will be lowered to return the product to the feed table in a position which will be the reverse of its original position; i. e., the said product will be turned over to move the upper surface downward and thereby bring'the saidupper surface into contact with the trailing end of the banding strip S as shown in Figure 5.

Immediately after the product reaches the table top on a second conveyor 65, pusher lugs 64 are timed to engage the end of the product to move same away from the gripper blades, whereupon the gripper mechanism is again driven through a cycle similar to that previously described but in the reverse direction, to thus return the gripper to a product receiving position. The second conveyor 65, like the first mentioned conveyor 33 may be of the chain and sprocket type and may also be mounted in any convenient manner.

From the position shown in Figure 5, the said product is, again moved along the feed table, which movement will cause the adhesive end of the strip S to be sealed to the outer surface of the opposite end of said strip around the product, when the product. is moved beneath a pressure element, indicated at 56. Said pressure element comprises a collar 61 and secured to a rotatable shaft 59, having a flexible tension member 69 thereon, which shaft is mounted between the walls of the machine frame I l.

The product is now in its completed form with the banding strip completely wrapped theresecured to a collar 13 on a rock shaftsaidshaft being mounted between the walls of the frame ll. As the lugs '4 on the conveyor 05 approach the point where they could no longer drive the product, the blade 12 will be moved forward to engage the rear end of the said prodnot and will move same clear of the feed table 36 and onto the delivery platform "ll.

The delivery platform comprises a vertically 'slidable'frame having a shelf 15 at the upper end thereof anda'nelongated slot IS- in the body thereof. A'cam roller ll, rotatably mounted on said frame, rests upon the cam surface of a cam 18, which cam is fixed on a rotatable shaft I! mounted between the frame walls. Said shaft also through the slot It. The timing of said cam 18 is so arranged as to cause the platform to be lowered a distance equivalent to the thickness of a product during each bending operation to thereby permit 'anumber-of products to he supported thereon before final delivery is made.

To further provide for the complete automatic handling of said products, an ejector member is provided which is adapted to be actuated after a predetermined number of products have been deposited upon the delivery platform. Said ejector comprises ah ejector finger 8| secured at one end of a horizontally movable ejector rod 8'2, which rod is supported in a bearing 33 suspended from a sprocket shaft 84. At the opposite end of said ejector rod, a link 85 joins same with one arm 88 of a bell crank 86 pivotally mounted on a stud 9B in the frame wall and said rod is normally retained in a retracted position by means ofa spring 8? biased between the,

arm 8% of the'bell crank and a pin on the machine frame. 'A striker lug dd projects outward from a collar 9!, which is secured on a rotatable shaft dzsupported between the frame walls, and upon each rotation of said shaft, is adapted to strike another arm 93 on said bell crank to thereby rock the bell crank and move the ejector rod 82 and finger 8| thereon forward, which movement will force the accumulated products from the delivery platform II, to a receiving table, a fragment of which is indicated by numeral 3d.

The general driving mechanism for the various moving parts described, have been omitted from the drawing for the sake of clearness but the direction of movement or rotation of said moving parts are indicated by arrows.

It will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention. 7

What I claim is:

1. In a wrapping machine, a conveyor for moving a product along a horizontal plane, means to dispose a binder in the path of the moving prodnot and to be engaged by said product whereby said binder will be wrapped around a portion of end of, said binder, a pivoted gripper disposed in the same plane as the-wrapped portion of'the moving product and adapted to receive only the wrapped portion of the same, 'means for moving said gripper to raisethe wrapped portion of the product, means for rotating said gripper upon its pivot to turn said product over and thereby cause the binder to be further wrapped around said product, and means to finally causev the adhesive end of the binder to adhere to the opposite end thereof.

2. In a wrapping machine, a conveyor for moving a product along a horizontalplane, means to dispose a binder in a substantially vertical plane I and'in the path of the moving product and to be engaged by said product, whereby a portion of said product will be wrapped by said binder when the product is moved by said conveyor, means for applying an adhesive to'a portion of said binder, a pivoted gripper positioned in the plane of the moving product ,to receive only the wrapped portion of the product, means'to move said gripper to raise the wrapped portion of the product, means to rotate said gripper upon itsjpivot to turn said product over to cause the binder to be further wrapped around said product, and means to seal the adhesive portion of said binder with another portion of the binder,

3. In a banding machine, a conveyor-for moving a product along a horizontal plane, means to vertically position a band in the path of the moving product and to be engaged by said product, whereby a portion of said band is adapted to engage the upper and lower surfaces and the, forward end of said product, and have an end.

portion trailing beyond the lower surface thereof when the product is moved by said conveyor, means for applying an adhesive to a portion of said band, a pivoted gripper-"normally positioned in the plane ofthe product and engageable only with the wrapped end portion of said product,

means to move said gripper to raise the wrapped forward end portion of the product, means to rotate said gripper upon its pivot to turn. said productover upon the trailing end ofthe band,

and means to cause the adhesive portion on said band to adhere to another portion of the band. 4. In a banding machine, a. conveyor for moving a product along a horizontal plane, means to position a band in the path-Jot said product having a portion extending above and'a portion eattending below the path of said product and to be 'to receive and grip same only at the banded portion thereof, means to move said gripperto raise the wrapped end portion of the. product, means to rotate said gripper upon its pivot to turn said product over upon the trailing end of the band, and means to seal the adhesive end of the band to another portion thereof. p

5; In a machine for wrapping a band around a moving product, a conveyor to move said product along a horizontal -plane,.means to position a band so that it will be engaged by a product moved by said conveyor and be wrapped about a portion of the product by such engagement, means to apply an adhesive to one portion of" said band, a pivoted gripper positioned in the receive only the wrapped portion of the product, means to move the gripper to raise the wrapped portion of the product, means to rotate said gripper upon its" pivot and thereby move said product to further wrap same, and means to seal the adhesive portion of the band upon another portion thereof.

6. In a machine for wrapping a band around a moving product, including in combination, means for feeding a strip of banding material in the path of a moving product, means to apply an adhesive to one end of said banding material, a conveyor to move said product along a hori-. zontal path into engagement with the banding material and thereby cause said product to become partially wrapped by said material, a gripper having its jaws'arranged in a horizontal position to receive said partially wrapped product upon further movement thereof, meansto lift said gripper, means cooperating with the lifting means to rotate the gripper and place the opposite face .of the product on the conveyor to further wrap the band around the product, and means to press the adhesive end of the banding material against another portion thereof.

7. In a machine for wrapping a band around a moving product, including in combination, means for feeding and supporting banding material in a substantially vertical position, means to apply, an adhesive to one end of said banding material, a horizontally movable conveyor to move said product into the vertically positioned I banding material to thereby cause the band to fold around the top, bottom and forward end of 7 the product with the lower band portion trailing beyond the rear end of the product, a gripper having its jaws in a normally horizontal plane to receive said product, means to raise said gripper, means cooperating with said raising means to turn the product over upon the trailing end of the band, and means to effect a seal between the adhesive end of the band and another portion of same.

8. In a machine for wrapping a band around a moving product, a conveyor to move said product along a horizontal plane, means for feeding and cutting banding material and guiding same into the path of the moving product, whereby said product engages the band and causes same to fold around the top, bottom and forward end of the product with the lower band portion trailing beyond the rear end of the product, means for applying an adhesive to one end of the banding material while forwarding the product, a gripper having its jaws normally positioned in the path of the banded portion of said product and in the same horizontal plane thereof, means to raise said gripper, means cooperating with said raising means to turn the product over on its opposite face upon the trailing end of the band, a second conveyor to drive said product after delivery by the gripper, and means to effect a seal between the adhesive end of the band and another portion of same.

9. In a machine for wrapping a band around a moving product, a conveyor to move said product, a band positioned so as to be engaged by a moving product and to be partially wrapped by said engagement, means to apply an adhesive to one portion of said band, a gripper pivotally mounted on said machine and adapted to receive said partially wrapped product, means to raise and lower. said gripper, and other means to rotate same while in a raised position to theresame horizontal plane as the moving product to by turn the product over and further wrap same, a second conveyor to move said product after being turned, means to eifect a seal between the adhesive portion of the band and another portion of same, and an ejector member to eject said product after it is released by .thesecond conveyor.

10. In a machine for wrapping a band around a moving product, a conveyor to move said product, a band positioned so as to be engaged by a moving product and to be partially wrapped by said engagement, means to apply an adhesive to one portion of said band, a gripper rotatably mounted on said machine and adapted to receive said partially wrapped product, a rocker member coacting with said gripper to raise and lower same, a gear to rotate said gripper and a reciprocable rack member to rotate said gear to thereby turn the partially wrapped product over and further wrap same, a second conveyor to move said product after being turned, means to eilect a seal between the adhesive portion of the band and another portion of same. and an ejector member to eject said product after it is released by the second conveyor, 11. In a machine for wrapping a band around a moving product, including in combination, means for presenting a strip of band material in a substantially vertical position in the path of a moving product, means to apply anadhesive to the lower end of the strip, a conveyor to move said product into the vertically positioned strip to thereby cause the upper portion of the strip to fold over the upper surface of the product and the lower portion thereof to fold over the lower surface of the product with the adhesive end portion trailing beyond the rearend thereof, a gripper pivotally mounted on said machine and adapted to receive said product, a rocker arm coactable with said gripper to raise same, a gear also coactable with said gripper and a rack engaging said gear, a cam member to move said rack when the gripper is raised, to thereby turn the product over upon the trailing end ofthestrip,

a second conveyor to move said product after being turned, and a pressure applying member to apply a pressure to the upper surface of the product after the adhesive end has engaged with another portion of said banding strip on the lower surface of the product.

12. In a machine for wrapping a band around a moving product, means to move said product,

a table to-support said moving product, means to support banding materialin the path of the moving product to be engaged and partially wrapped thereby, gripper means to receive the partially wrapped product, and raising means including a rotating member to actuate said gripper to raise and wipe the extended end of the thereof, rotatable gripper means having a part to receive the wrapped portion of the product, and

means to raise the part of said gripper receiving the wrapped portion of the product to raise the same,- means to rotate the gripper to move the wrapped portion of the product over theunwrapped portion thereof, said raising means operable to lower the gripper into a reversed position to wrap banding material about the unwrapped portion of the product.

14. In a machine for wrapping a band aroun a product, a product supporting member, means to move a product along said member, means to feed a length of bending material and dispose it in the. path of movement of the pr'oductto be engaged thereby and wrapped about a portion thereof, rotatable gripper means having a part to receive the wrapped portion of the product, said moving means being operable to move the wrapped product portion into the receiving part,

of said gripper means, means to raise the part of said gripper receiving the wrapped product portion to raise the same, means to rotate the gripper to move the'wrapped portion of the product over the unwrapped portion thereof, to wrap banding material about the latter, said raising means operable to lower the gripper into a reversed position, and means to remove the product from said gripp r means.

15. In a machine for wrapping a band around a product, a product supporting member, means to move a product along said member, means to feeda length of banding material and dispose it in the path of movement of the product to be engaged thereby and wrapped about a. portion thereof, gripper means having a part to receive the wrapped portion of the product, said gripper means being-disposed intermediate the ends of said supporting member, means to actuate the gripper to raise the wrapped portion of the product upwardly and over the unwrapped portion thereof to wrap an end portion of the banding material about the latter and then to lower and dispose the product upon the supporting member, and means to remove the product from the receivingpart of said gripper means and move it along said member. s

16. In a machine for wrapping a band around a product, a product supporting member, means to move a product along said member, means to feed a length of banding material and dispose it in the path of movement of the product to be engagedthereby' and wrapped about a portion thereof, gripper means having a part to receive the wrapped portion of the product, said gripper means being disposed intermediate the ends of said supporting member, means to actuate the gripper to raise the wrapped portion of the product upwardly and over the unwrapped portion thereof to wrap an end portion of the banding material about the latter and then to lower and dispose the product upon the supporting member, means to secure'the end portion of the banding material to another portion thereof, and

means to remove the product from the receiving part of said gripper means and move it along said member. i

17. In a machine for wrapping a band around a. product, aflat, horizontally disposed product supporting member, means to move a product forwardly along said member, means to feed a length of banding material and dispose it in thepath of movementof the product tobe engaged thereby and carried along therewith to be wrapped about a portion thereof, rotatable means to receive the wrapped product portion, and mechanism including a rockable member to raise said receiving means to raise the wrapped product portion upwardly, and a rotatable member to rotate the receiving means to move the wrapped product portion above its supporting member to wrap banding material about the unwrapped portion, said rockable member being adapted to lower the wrapped product upon the flat horizontally disposed supporting member after the unwrapped portion has been wrapped. 18. In a machine for wrapping a band around a product, a flat, horizontally disposed product supporting member, means to move a product forwardly along said member, means to feed a length of banding material and dispose it in the path of movement of the product to be engaged thereby and carried along therewith to be wrapped about a portion thereof, rotatable means to receive the wrapped product portion, mechanism including a rockable member to raise said receiving means to raise the wrapped product portion upwardly, and a rotatable member to rotate the receiving means to move the wrapped product portion thereof above its supporting member to wrap banding material about the un-.

wrapped portion, said rockable member being operable to lower the wrapped product upon the flat horizontally disposed supporting member, and means to remove the wrapped product from said receiving means and move it forwardly along said last mentioned supporting member.

19:. In a machine for wrapping a band around a product, a product supporting member, means to move a product along said member, means to feed a length of banding material and dispose and a second means to rotate said gripper on its pivot, to move the unwrapped product portion along the supporting member and turn it over thereon to wrap the banding material thereabout while said first means is lowering said gripper to dispose the product upon the supporting member in a reverse position.

20. In a machine for wrapping a band around a product, a product supporting member, means to' feed a binder and dispose it across one side of the product, means to apply adhesive to one end of a binder when it is so disposed, means to move the product along said, member into engagement with the binder, when the adhesive is applied, to wrap the binder about one side of the product, a gripper to receive the wrapped side of the product, means to actuate the gripper "to turn the product over on the member to move the unwrapped portion of the product along the member and cause .cooperative action between the product and the member to further wrap the binder about the product, while turning the 

